title: Seawater-cultured Botryococcus braunii for efficient hydrocarbon extraction.
abstract: As a potential source of biofuel, the green colonial microalga Botryococcus braunii produces large amounts of hydrocarbons that are accumulated in the extracellular matrix. Generally, pretreatment such as drying or heating of wet algae is needed for sufficient recoveries of hydrocarbons from B. braunii using organic solvents. In this study, the Showa strain of B. braunii was cultured in media derived from the modified Chu13 medium by supplying artificial seawater, natural seawater, or NaCl. After a certain period of culture in the media with an osmotic pressure corresponding to 1/4-seawater, hydrocarbon recovery rates exceeding 90% were obtained by simply mixing intact wet algae with n-hexane without any pretreatments and the results using the present culture conditions indicate the potential for hydrocarbon milking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Seawater was used for efficient hydrocarbon extraction from Botryococcus braunii. The alga was cultured in media prepared with seawater or NaCl. Hydrocarbon recovery rate exceeding 90% was obtained without any pretreatment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological and Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furuhashi
authors.forename: Kiyotaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saga
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imou
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D046508:Culture Techniques; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012623:Seawater; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D003470:Culture Media; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012965:Sodium Chloride